It's Not The End: It's The Beginning
by catchingthegirlonfire
Summary: Rory is transported back in time by the Weeping Angels. Amy follows him, much to his surprise. They embark on their new lives together, sans-Doctor, in 1938. Everything must come to an end, but through the end Rory and Amy truly begin. They cast aside their traveling lifestyle for something more permanent. Will they follow their dreams? Or fall flat on their faces?
1. Chapter 1

Rory Williams staggers outside of the TARDIS just after being saved by yet another miracle and paradox. Amy, River, and the Doctor fly into the TARDIS, discussing their next trip but Rory lags behind.

"Amy!" Rory calls, looking down at a gravestone, "Come see this."

Amy emerges from the TARDIS doors calling, "What?"

"There's gravestone here for someone with the same name as me," he says nonchalantly.

Amy saunters out of the TARDIS, indulging her husband.

"What?" Amy says, laughing, looking at the grave then back to her husband.

Rory blinks twice, looking up at Amy, confused. A near second later Rory vanishes and an Angel takes his place. "Doctor!" Amy yelps, hopelessly, terrified.

The Doctor and River run out of the TARDIS towards her, but she does not turn. She keeps her gaze fixed on the angel. "Where the hell did _that _come from?" River Song bellows, keeping her distance.

"It's a survivor," the Doctor says, brandishing his sonic screwdriver, "Very weak, but keep your eyes on it."

Amy does as she's told, carefully squinting at the Angel, still shocked that Rory's gone. "Where's Rory?" she asks.

The Doctor walks toward the angel cautiously, knowing full well what has just happened. He looks to the gravestone only to make double sure. He shakes his head, barely noticeably, and says, "I'm sorry," he breathes, "Amelia."

"I'm so sorry," he adds.

Amy's world shatters. Her lip quivers. "No. No we can just go and get him in the TARDIS. One more paradox," she lies to herself, in denial.

"Would rip New York apart," the Doctor starts.

Amy interrupts him, "No that's not true."

"I don't believe you," she adds, panicking.

"Mother, it's true," River says solemnly, defeated.

Amy's breaths are getting increasingly more shallow. She starts for the angel, "Amy, what are you doing?" The Doctor asks.

"That gravestone, Rory's, there's room for one more name isn't there?" she asks, breathlessly fast.

"What are you talking about?" The Doctor says, grabbing Amy's arm, trying to lead her away, but Amy breaks his grasp, "Back away from the Angel. Come back to the TARDIS, we'll figure something out."

"The angel, would it send me back to the same time," she starts, face beginning to scrunch up, "to him?"

"I don't know," The doctor says through heavy breath, terrified Amy will do something rash, "Nobody knows."

He reaches out for her again but she moves closer to the angel. "But it's my best shot, yeah?" Amy asks, not really expecting an answer.

"No!" the Doctor groans.

"Doctor, shut up!" River snaps and yells, "Yes it is!"

Rather than lie to her mother River does everything she can to help reunite Amy with Rory. She can't bear to see this happen to her mother.

"Amy!" The Doctor says.

"Well then," Amy sighs, at the same time as the Doctor, "I just have to blink, right?"

"No!" the Doctor bellows, his voice filled with anguish and fear.

"It'll be fine. I know it will," Amy starts, "I'll-I'll be with him like I should be."

"Me and Rory together," she says, desperate to be with him.

"Melody," she calls for River, addressing her by her given name.

"Stop it!," The Doctor yells, "Just stop it!"

Amy reaches he hand behind her back towards River. She grasps her hand in hers. "You look out for him," Amy says chocking back forming tears, "And you be a good girl and you look after him."

River looks up at the Doctor as he says, "You are creating a fixed time," through gritted teeth, "I'll never be able to see you again."

"I'll be fine," Amy says, starting to cry, "I'll be with him."

"Amy. Please. Just come back into the TARDIS," the Doctor pleads with her, adding, "Come along, Pond. Please."

Amy weeps, still not looking away from the angel, knowing the Doctor's right. It's time for her to finally choose: The Doctor or Rory. Though it may break her heart either way, her mind is made up, "Raggedy man," she starts, then turns to face him, "Goodbye."

Amy fades away into the angel, transported in time. The headstone now reads, _In loving memory, Rory Arthur Williams, Aged 82...And his loving wife, Amelia Williams, Aged 87._

As Amy fades away to the Doctor, she is transported in time of unknown date. She looks around her, eyes burning with tears, hopeful that she sees her Rory. But she doesn't.

She runs up the hill, through the graveyard toward the spot they had picnicked in the day before. "Rory," Amy breathes, barely audibly.

Rory looks up at his wife in disbelief, "Amy?" he starts, "How?"

"Shh," Amy says, putting her finger to his lips, "Together or not at all, remember?"


	2. Chapter 2

Rory stands and embraces his wife. "I thought I'd lost you," Amy chokes out through tears, "But never again."

"You came back for me," Rory says.

"I always do," Amy says, "Every single time. Even when you _die._"

Rory laughs and asks, "Where's the Doctor?"

Amy sits down on the ground and sighs. Rory joins her. "The Doctor isn't here," she says solemnly.

"Oh, Amy," Rory starts, "You didn't..."

"I let the angel take me," Amy says.

"Why?" Rory says, "You came back for _me?"_

"I lost you too many times, Rory," Amy says, "Not again. Not this time."

"I'd miss your stupid face," she adds, putting her head on his shoulder.

"But the Doctor's coming for us, isn't he?" Rory asks.

"When I let the angel take me I created a fixed point in time," Amy says, "If the Doctor came here he said it would rip New York apart."

"So that's it then," Rory says, "No more traveling, no more Doctor."

"Blimey," he adds, "We're going to have to start a proper life."

"We'll get through it," Amy says, "It might be less glamourous than traveling in the TARDIS, but we should've done it ages ago."

"We can't go back now," Amy adds.

"Would you go back?" Rory asks, "Travel with the Doctor, I mean?"

"No," Amy says, "I'm tired of waiting. I'm tired of making you wait."

"Good," Rory says, smiling to himself, "I'm _so _glad you're here."

"Me too," Amy says.

Amy and Rory sit for a moment, soaking in each other, mentally preparing themselves for the struggles that will undoubtedly lay ahead of them.

"I don't even know what year it is," Amy says.

"1938," Rory says, "It's April 20th, 1938."

"I saw it on the headline of the newspaper, on stand across the way," he adds.

"Things are going to change," Amy says, "Our life as we know it is over."

"What do we do now?" Rory asks, "We can't go home to Leadworth."

"Why not?" Amy asks.

"Amy, World War II is on our doorstep back home," Rory says, "Do we really want to be in the middle of the blitz?"

"Been there, done that," Amy says.

"What?" Rory asks.

"You were dead!" Amy exclaims.

"Glad to see you were safe when I was gone," Rory says, rolling his eyes, "The blitz? _Really_?"

"Yeah," Amy says, "Feels like ages ago."

"So New York is where we'll spend the rest of our days together," Rory says, "Its a hell of a lot better then Leadworth."

Amy laughs and says, "But you love Leadworth!"

"I know," Rory says, "But I'm trying to be brave for you."

"Oh," Amy says, "My brave Centurion."

Rory kisses her on the forehead. "We haven't got any money," he says, "No home."

"I've got a few ideas," Amy says.

"You could finally be that doctor that you've wanted to be for starters," Amy starts, "And I could write."

"Be a real doctor," Rory says, "I think I could do that."

"Doctor Williams," Amy says, laughing, "You could always just stay a nurse too."

"I'm done being a nurse I think," Rory says, "I'll finally be able to afford schooling."

"With what money?" Amy asks.

"You can support me," Rory says, laughing, "With your writing."

They laugh and Amy says, "See? It won't be so bad."

"We'll take it one day at a time," Rory adds.

"The slow path," Amy says, agreeing.

"We're not even citizens," Rory says, "What do we even do?"

"Dunno," Amy says, "I don't even know where we are really."

"But I'm hungry," she adds, "Have you got any money?"

"Even if I did it wouldn't be good here," Rory says.

"Don't worry, Dad," a familiar voice from behind them says.

Rory and Amy turn to face their daughter, River Song. "River?" Amy asks, finally addressing her by the name she prefers.

"Hello, Mum!" River says, hugging her.

"How long has it been?" River asks.

"An hour at most," Rory says, "How did you get here?"

"Oh I am good," River says, waving her vortex manipulator at them.

"Can you take us home?" Rory asks.

"Sorry, love," River says, "It only works for me."

"And the Doctor made me promise that it would be only this one trip," she says.

"So we're really going to be stuck here?" Rory asks, what little hope he had of going home fading.

"I'm so sorry," River says, "It has to be this way. It's a fixed point. It can't be undone."

"Can't the Doctor come visit then?" Amy asks.

"We're out of luck," River says, "This is the last time I'll be able to even come here. I only was able to come because the vortex manipulator isn't as strong as the TARDIS."

"New York will get blown apart if either of us return."

"I'll never see you again," Amy steps forward to her, "No!"

"I'm so, so sorry," River breathes, hugging her, "But I've come to bring you something important."

She takes a manuscript of a book out of her bag and hands it to Amy. "But this is the story. Melody Malone," Amy says.

"Publish it," River says, "Whatever you have to do, just make sure this book gets published."

"I will," Amy says, taking the manuscript.

"And do me a favor," River says, "I promised the Doctor you'd write an afterword for him."

"How is he?" Rory asks.

"Pretty broken up," River says.

"Will you travel with him?" Amy asks, "He shouldn't be alone."

"No," River says, "Someone will come along. He doesn't need his wife hanging on him all day."

"He's got his TARDIS," she adds, "And we all know how he loves her more than me."

"Just make sure he's alright for me," Amy says, "Keep him out of trouble."

"I'll do my best," River says.

"I'd best get going," River says, "I don't want to do any more damage to New York than we've already done."

"Don't go," Amy says, "Please."

"I love you," River says, "I really do."

"I would do it different if I had the chance," Amy says, "Raise you properly."

"You've affected me more than you've ever known," River says.

"It doesn't matter that you weren't there," she adds, "You would've been if you could have."

"Please," Amy says, "Just stay here with us."

"You know I can't," River says.

"Take care of yourself," Rory says, knowing full well that River can't stay.

"Rory, tell her," Amy says, "Tell her not to go."

"Don't go," Rory says, flatly, just trying to please his wife.

"Don't cry. Smile, Mum," River says, "Think of all the good times we've had."

Amy nods and hangs her head. Rory pats her on the back and rubs her shoulder, upset himself. "Just do good, alright?" Amy chokes out, "Do it for me."

"I will," River says, hugging each of them respectively.

"Goodbye, Mum, Dad," River says, "I love you more than anything."

River fades away, transported back through time and space. Amy buries her face in Rory's chest, weeping uncontrollably. The manuscript slides through her fingers and onto the ground.

"Amy, what's that?" Rory says, bending down picking up an envelope.

He rips it open to reveal the contents. "Birth certificates," Rory says, "Bloody hell look at the money."

"That'll set us up for months!" Amy exclaims.

"And what's this?" Rory asks pulling out a black small leather pouch.

He hands it to Amy, who opens it. "Psychic papers," she says, excitedly.

_Just something to start you off. It was the Doctor's idea. I love you. Live safe and well. -Melody_

"Thank you," Amy breathes to the air where River had been standing.

She looks up to the stars and says, "Thank you, Doctor. I know you can hear me."

Rory throws his arm around Amy and they set off through the city streets with a new lease on life. They'd need a home, for starters, but the day had been far too emotional for the both of them. They settled into a small hotel for the night and vowed to search for jobs in the morning. As Amy and Rory laid in bed that night Amy couldn't sleep. Her heart pounded with excitement, a different kind than what she had experienced with the Doctor. "So this is adulthood," she whispers to herself as she buries her face into the pillow. It's not the end for Rory and Amy, but the beginning of something new.


	3. Chapter 3

"Happy Anniversary!" Rory exclaims as he sets down a brand new typewriter in front of Amy.

"It's beautiful," Amy says, running her fingers over the keys, "But we stopped counting since last year."

"What do you mean?" Rory says, "It's still been six years."

"Technically we won't be married for another 72," Amy says jokingly.

"Since when were you one to care about technicalities, eh?" Rory says.

"Technically you're not 25 either, but the Doctor did you a favor when he got those birth certificates," Rory quips.

"Oi! Stupidface," Amy says, "I think it's time to shut up now."

"Oh, is it?" Rory says coyly.

"Kiss me, ya idiot," she adds.

Amy and Rory celebrate their 6th anniversary, albeit 77 years too early, on June 26th, 1938. Since the angels transported them back in time many things have changed. They purchased a small home with some of the money that River had given them. They bought a white house with a picket fence and a garden in the suburbs of New York City. Amy insisted Rory paint their door TARDIS blue in honor of the Doctor and their travels. Though it was a reminder of the happiness they had, Amy's heart often felt a pang sadness upon looking at it. Amy had secured herself a job in the city as a secretary for a business, Alcott and Preston Advertisements. While her job paid the bills, it was often unfulfilling. She longed to have a purpose, to do more than just answer phone calls and schedule meetings. She wanted to write. Rory worked tirelessly in his old field, nursing, to both pay for his Doctoral schooling and purchase her a typewriter. All Rory wanted was to make Amy happy, as usual. And as always, Amy was searching for her voice.

"I'll finally type up that afterword," Amy says, rummaging through her desk drawer to find her handwritten copy, "They're almost ready to publish River's book."

"What are they calling it again?" Rory asks, leaning over her, biting into an apple.

"Melody Malone: Private Detective in Old New York Town," Amy says, "River had it all figured out."

"You're publishing it anonymously though?" Rory asks.

"I'm planning on it," Amy says, "Why?"

"Dunno," Rory says, "Wouldn't you want to write a second one?"

"I've already planned something of my own," Amy says proudly, "But I'd consider going back to it someday."

"It's just too..._fresh_, you know?" she says, not wanting to dwell in the past.

"I'll leave you be," Rory says, kissing her on the cheek and leaving the room.

Amy scowls as she reads her afterword. "This won't do," she whispers to herself.

Though her initial afterword was thoughtful and nice, it didn't come from the heart. It was too distant, not personal enough. It reminded her of all those fake yearbook messages acquaintances would write her every year. She sighs, takes a deep breath, and leaves it to the keys...

_Hello, old friend. And here we are. You and me, on the last page. By the time you read these words, Rory and I will be long gone. So know that we lived well and were very happy. And above all else, know that we will love you always. Sometimes I do worry about you though. I think once we're gone you won't be coming back here for awhile. And you might be alone. Which you should never be. Don't be alone, Doctor. And do one more thing for me. There's a little girl waiting in a garden. She's going to wait a long while, so she's going to need a lot of hope. Go to her. Tell her a story. Tell her that if she's patient, the days are coming that she'll never forget. Tell her she'll go to see and fight pirates. She'll fall in love with a man who'll wait two thousand years to keep her safe. Tell her she'll give hope to the greatest painter who ever lived. And save a whale in outer space. Tell her, this is the story of Amelia Pond. And this is how it ends._

Amy rips the page out of the typewriter and runs her hand over his name. _Doctor, _she breathes, smiling. He'd shown her the universe, saved her countless times, been her best friend. Sometimes she wishes he'd phone, that he'd find away to visit, but with each day her hope wanes.

She looks up at the wall and smiles. Amy had taken to drawing in the last few months, drawing her many adventures with the Doctor. She runs her hand across Vincent Van Gogh, the Doctor's sonic screwdriver, the space whale, before landing on her daughter's cheek. A tear forms in her eye, but she shakes it away. She's done feeling sorry for herself.

It's time for her to truly start her life, find herself. She types...

_Summer Falls_

_By Amelia Williams_

She stops typing, rests her arms by her sides for a second and types the dedication page:

_For a Raggedy Man, a Roman, and an Archaeologist. My Beloved Doctors. _

The words flow from her brain to the keys like a whirlwind, ensnaring her. She's riveted, excitedly typing her first original story.


	4. Chapter 4

"I'm out there, you know," Amy says, sitting on the swing with Rory on their back porch, "Back home."

"What happened?" Rory asks.

"Met Churchill," Amy says, "Ran into the Daleks."

"That was when I first met them, you know," Amy says, "Before the Pandorica."

"I wasn't dead then," Rory says, sarcastically.

"Obviously," Amy says, "Even when you were I didn't know it."

"The crack erased you, any memory of you," Amy adds, "Until the Pandorica."

"I have vague memories," Rory says, shuffling his feet.

"What happened?" Amy asks for the first time, "When I was inside the Pandorica."

"Well," Rory starts, "Most times it's sort of fuzzy, but I have these flashes, like memories."

"I never really told you, but I was out there too. In London," Rory says.

"I just wanted to protect you."

"I never thanked you properly for that," Amy says, "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you."

"In more ways than one," Rory says.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Amy asks, confused.

"You could be back home right now, living out your life like you were supposed to, but you came back for me," Rory says, guiltily.

"That's not a life I wanted, without you," Amy starts, "That's not a life worth living."

"You'd be alright without me," Rory says, "You almost did it once."

"I signed those divorce papers for you," Amy says, "You know that."

"But never again," Amy adds, "What ever happens, we'll work things out."

Rory nods and turns up to the sky. "The Doctor's out there, somewhere."

"Think he's found someone new?" Rory adds.

"I hope so," Amy says, "The TARDIS would be awfully lonely."

"He'll be alright," Rory says, nodding.

"I just hope he takes care of Mel," Amy says, "I thought I saw her today, you know."

"You did?" Rory says.

"Yeah," Amy says, "At the shops."

"And it wasn't her?" Rory asks.

"No," Amy says, "Just the hair, you know?"

Rory laughs and Amy puts her head on his shoulder. "I do have something to tell you, though," Amy says.

"It's hard to explain," she adds.

"What is it?" he says softly.

"My memories have changed, sort of," Amy says, "It's like the Doctor's death, I remember it two ways."

"When Melody Malone was published my memories changed," Amy says, "I told him to go back and see me, and he did."

"He told me of my adventures," Amy says, smiling, "That I'd marry my best friend."

"He called me Amelia Williams," she adds, "I remember not understanding it then, but I do now. He's letting me go, us go."

"He said he wanted to be alone for a while, to reflect. But that he loved us very much. He never stops thinking of us. He even cried," Amy says.

"Oh, Doctor," Rory breathes, "Why does he have to make us sad all over again?"

"I'm not sad, I'm happy," Amy says, "I'm happy he listened to me, that he went back. It means the world to me."

"Then good," Rory says, "Did he say he was going to come back for us?"

"No," Amy says, "He said he'd let us live our lives."

"He could come back," Rory says, "It's 1940, it's been two years."

"It wouldn't rip New York apart now, would it?" he adds.

"I don't know," Amy says, throwing he hands up, "All that timey wimey stuff is confusing."

They laugh and Amy adds, "Besides, you'll be a proper Doctor soon," she pauses and adds, "I only need one Doctor."

"And I only need my author," Rory says.

"Secretary," Amy says rolling her eyes.

"That's temporary," Rory says, "You're an author."

"Have you finished it?" Rory asks, "Summer Falls."

Amy shakes her head and sighs, "I'm having a hard time with it."

"Will you let me read it?" Rory asks.

"When it's finished," Amy says.

"How long will that take?" Rory asks.

"Dunno," Amy says, "As long as I need to make it perfect."

"Statistically, I should be dead by then," Rory says half joking.

"Nah," Amy says, "You don't die for real for 50 more years."

"What about you?" Rory asks.

"I don't know," Amy says, "And I wouldn't want to."

"I'll be 30 soon," she says, "I already feel like I'm dying."

Rory laughs and says, "We're not kids anymore."

"No we're not," Amy agrees.

Rory takes a deep breath and turns to look his wife in the eye, "There's something I haven't told you."

"What is it?"

"I've been drafted," Rory says, "They're rushing my degree through."

"They need more Doctors, Amy," he adds.

"But you can't!" Amy says, enraged, "They can't do that!"

"I'll be fine," Rory says, "Everything will be fine."

"I'm coming with you," Amy demands, "I am not leaving you."

"Amy, you can't," Rory says, "Not this time."

"You just have trust that I'll be alright," Rory says.

"You have Sally and Mrs. Hendrickson, they'll take care of you," he adds.

"I can't believe you," Amy says, standing, storming into the house.

"Amy, stop!" Rory says.

"Leave me alone!" Amy yells, running up the stairs to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

"God dammit!" She says, leaning face forward on her dressing table, knocking her perfume bottle over.

She looks up into the mirror and says, "It's not supposed to be this way!"

She crumples to the bed, crying. Rory comes to the door and knocks, "Amy, can I come in?"

"Go away," she says.

"You know I can't do that," he says, "I love you too much."

"I love you too," Amy chokes out.

Rory opens the door, not waiting for her permission and sits beside her on the bed. He throws his arm around her. She says, "I don't want you to see me cry."

"Damn you," Rory says, "You're too proud. So Scottish."

Amy half laughs and Rory hands her a tissue. "It'll be alright, Amy, I know it will."

"What if it's not?" she asks.

"Then you carry on," Rory says, "Love again."

"There's nobody else but you," Amy says, "Don't leave me again. I can't take it."

"I'll be gone for a little while, just a while," Rory says, "They haven't told me how long."

"You'll be there indefinitely?" Amy asks, "That makes me feel better, you idiot!"

"Now that's my Amy," Rory says, squeezing her hand, "Like the headstone said, I'll be 82 when I die."

"Time can be rewritten," Amy says.

"Not this time," Rory says, repeating, "Not this time."

Three months later in December of 1940 Amy watched Rory board the plane that would take him overseas. She wept for days, even her friends couldn't get her to come out of the house. She clutched a picture of the two of them in her hands those days always. After she broke out of her initial depression she went back to work and tried to live life as normally as she could. For once in her life she was glad she didn't have any young children, their sadness would have been too much for her to bear.

Rory sent her letters as often as he could. He even got the opportunity to visit their old home town of Leadworth. He sent her a photograph of her family home, though it looked quite different than she remembered it. Rory was passionate about his work and she feared he would stay until the end of the war, many years off. Thankfully, she knew there'd be an end. She considered telling a few friends, but she thought better of it. How could she possibly explain it in a way they'd understand? She waited patiently everyday for the telegram that said he husband would be coming home. On June 6th, 1942 she got her wish. Rory was to be transferred home to work in a hospital for badly injured American soldiers.

On June 10th Amy woke up early and dressed in her best. She wrinkled her face in the mirror as she gazed up at herself. "Eek," she whispers to herself, smoothing out the fine lines on her forehead.

She hoped Rory wouldn't notice she looked older. The war had aged even her.

Amy waited at the gate with many other women and families. Though her best friend Sally asked if she wanted company, she went alone. The plane landed and her heart started racing.

"C'mon," she breathes, "Hurry it up now."

The door to the plane opens and the troops begin to exit. She studies each face, looking for Rory's. She suddenly cries with joy as she sees him, one of the last to exit the plane.

Once the soldiers are formally released the wives break through the barriers like mad-women. Amy thought there wasn't much need for soldiers. She thought if you threatened a woman's husband or children that the wives of the world could do much more damage than any man.

Rory smiles as Amy runs to him and embraces him. "The girl who waited," Rory whispers, "I love you."

Amy and Rory kiss passionately, his hands cupping her face, not letting her go. They finally break free. "You look," Rory starts in disbelief, looking her up and down, "Absolutely beautiful."

"Hey," Amy says, "Eyes front, soldier."

Rory laughs and says, "God, I've missed you."


End file.
